My ROI

Brian Shelburne is an MBA student at the University of Dallas. While a student, a
professor sat with Brian, encouraging him to dive into an entrepreneurial venture.
The flexibility of UD's graduate business program allows him to juggle a full time
job, his new business and school all at once.

We sat down with him to learn how he makes it all happen.

Why is receiving your MBA important to you?

I don't want people to tell me when I've gone as far as I can in my career. I want
to be able to make that decision for myself. To do that, I knew I would need to gain
practical work experience and continue to learn, grow and adapt along the way. I found
that an MBA from UD would help me accomplish this.

“
The UD graduate business program provides instant credibility and helps me make the
best possible decisions for my business thanks to the insights I've received.
”-
Brian Shelburne, MBA Student

What drew you to UD for graduate business studies?

With six Fortune 500 companies headquartered within a 5-mile radius of UD talented
people come here from every corner of the world. As a student, I get to share a classroom
and collaborate with many of the same people from these organizations.

How have you used what you have learned at UD in your current career?

The ultimate goal for receiving an MBA was to start my own business. Before even completing
my degree, I've already designed and implemented a business model from work I've done
in class. The program has been invaluable in providing structure to a business that
sprouted from common interests and organic relationships.

How has your program equipped you to achieve your professional goals?

As an entrepreneur it provides me expertise in managing a growing enterprise while
taking care of my employees and clients in a sustainable way. As a professional the
UD graduate business program provides instant credibility and helps me make the best
possible decisions for my business thanks to the insights I've received.

Draw Motivation from Experienced Leaders

Following the encouragement of a professor, Brian launched a business while in school.
Today he uses lessons learned in class to grow his enterprise.

What do you enjoy most about the UD graduate business program?

Most of my classmates are in their mid-30s and have significant experience in a variety
of different industries. Each professor at UD not only has an advanced degree but
also has several years of work experience in the business world. This cumulative business
knowledge creates a great dynamic in the classroom as colleagues relating their stories
to the concepts we're all learning about.

Which classroom format, online or on campus, do you prefer?

For subjects I have less experience with I prefer to be in the classroom. Establishing
a relationship with a professor can be invaluable if I need something explained a
different way or if I am struggling with a concept. However, I with running a business
in addition to my full time job the flexibility that online courses afford is invaluable
to me being able to juggle the different roles of my life simultaneously.

Has there been a moment when a faculty member made an impact on you, either personally
or professionally?

My objective has always been to launch my own business after completing my MBA degree.
In my first semester, during an online course, I indicated this when introducing myself
to the class. The professor took note and because of mutual interests, without any
strings attached, he offered to help me get my business off the ground. I'm already
building the way towards my goals and applying what I'm learning along the way.

Join Students Like Brian

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News

Although she herself is not able to vote, Liz Magallanes, BA '18, works to make voting possible for other people. She first got involved with the organization Mi Familia Vota in 2014 and has been contributing to their endeavors ever since, including working with high school students in Dallas ISD. Additionally, she recently had a role in the play "Deferred Action."

When he began his career at UD, which was at the time a brand-new university, Al Ogletree built his ballfield out of a cow pasture in the Trinity River bottoms, teaching his boys about leadership as well as about the game they played.

Once friends at John Paul II High School in Plano, Texas, Stephanie Lobo, BA ’18, and Rebecca Luna, BA ’19, can both remember the moments they set their horizons on transferring to the University of Dallas. Though their paths diverged briefly following high school, their friendship is now reunited on our university’s Irving campus.

The University of Dallas is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The university does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, genetic information, protected veteran status, age, or disability in the administration of its employment practices.